Two Dutch F-35 fighters have intercepted a formation of three Russian military planes near Poland and escorted them out of the country's airspace, the Dutch Defense Ministry said in a statement.
"The aircraft - whose identity was unknown at the time - approached the Polish NATO area of responsibility from Kaliningrad," according to the ministry's statement collected by Reuters.
Kaliningrad is a Russian enclave on the Baltic coast located between Poland and Lithuania, members of NATO and the European Union. "After their identification, they turned out to be three aircraft: a Russian IL-20M Coot-A that was escorted by two Su-27 Flanker," the statement expanded.
"Dutch F-35s escorted the formation remotely and handed over escort to NATO partners," he concludes.
The Il-20M Coot-A is the NATO name for Russian Ilyushin Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft, while the Su-27 Flanker is the NATO name for Sukhoi Su fighter jets. -28.
The Russian Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. The Dutch Defense Ministry said eight Dutch F-35s are stationed in Poland for February and March.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
